Fluid motor with peripheral power take-off



Dec. 6, 1966 B. c. WOLFE FLUID MOTOR WITH PERIPHERAL POWER TAKE-OFF 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 26, 962

ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE NTOR BARON C. WOLFE BY M cm) lama-11A ATTORNEYS Dec. 6, 1966 B. c. WOLFE 3,289,543

FLUID MOTOR WITH PERIPHERAL POWER TAKE-OFF Original Filed Dec. 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,289,543 FLUID MOTOR WITH PERIPHERAL POWER TAKE-OFF Baron C. Wolfe, 24 W. Grant St., Eureka, Calif. Original application Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 247,184, now Patent No. 3,241,456. Divided and this application May 19, 1965, Ser. No. 473,257

3 Claims. (Cl. 91-71) This invention relates to rotary fluid motors and more particularly to such motors in which the moving parts are symmetrical about their axis of rotation to afford static and dynamic balance and is a division of my copending application for patent, S.N. 247,184, filed December 26, 1962, now US. Patent No. 3,241,456.

The embodiments of the invention to be described in detail hereinafter generally include an inner lobed body mounted on a shaft in a casing, which casing has an internal surface adapted to cooperate with lobes on the lobed body to effect a fiuid seal therebetween in order toform a fluid compartment between adjacent lobes on the inner lobed body. Sliding vanes extend from the internal casing surface and bear against the periphery of the lobed body to divide the above mentioned compartments into a power compartment and an exhaust compartment. Application of pressurized fluid to the power compartment causes rotation of the lobed body relative the casing. As convenience dictates, either the lobed body or the casing can be fixed, and there is described in detail hereinbelow various techniques for conveying the fluid to and from the compartments to accommodate either mode of operation.

A feature and advantage of the motor of the present invention is that substantial torque at very low rotational speed is produced. This feature and advantage is realized because torque is provided to the rotating member during the full 360 of rotation thereof. Thus, the devices of this invention lend themselves admirably to gearless drive units.

Another feature and advantage of the present invention is that the rotating member is symmetrical around the axis of rotation so as to afford balanced operation with very little vibration. The foregoing characteristic makes possible the construction of motors of large size and high torque rating.

Still another feature and advantage is that motors made 1 according to the present invention are extremely versatile in that the casing can be fixed and power taken from a shaft connected to the inner lobed body or the shaft can be fixed and power taken from the rotating casing.

An object of the invention is to provide a system of conduits and passages for conveying fluid to and from the motor. One specifically described system is adapted for a motor in which the inner lobed body rotates; one system of conduits and passages is adapted for a motor in which the external ca-sing rotates about a fixed shaft and inner lobed body.

These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent upon referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in cross section, taken along line 11 of FIGURE 2, of a motor according to my invention wherein the outer casing is fixed and the inner lobed body rotates relative thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view taken substantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional side view of a motor of my invention having a fixed inner lobed body and an outer casing adapted for rotation relative thereto;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of a modification of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 12 indicates generally a casing supported on a base 13 and forming a chamber 14 having an internal arcuate surface 15 that is formed symmetrically relative a central axis 16. Chamber 14 is completed by provision of end closure plates 18 and 20 that have smooth opposing interior surfaces 22 and 24, respectively. The interior surfaces are each formed symmetrically with respect to axis 16. Suitably journaled on end plates 18 and 20 is a shaft 26 that extends through chamber 14 and is coaxial with axis 16. Disposed in chamber 14 is an inner lobed body 28 having a smooth peripheral surface 29 formed with three uniformly spaced lobes 30a, 30b and 300, each having a peripheral surface formed for non-contacting fluid sealing cooperation with internal arcuate surface 15. For the purpose of the present specification and the following claims, the term non-contacting fluidsealing is intended to define a relation between two surfaces wherein the surfaces do not contact one another but are sufliciently close to prevent fluid from passing therebetween. Such phenomenon is well known to those skilled in the art of hydraulic and fluid equipment; a clearance bet-ween two surfaces of .0005 inch affords a non-contacting fluid-sealing relationship between the surfaces.

Shaft 26 and lobed body 28 are provided with keyways for receiving a conventional key 32 to aflix the body to the shaft. Lobed body 28 has smooth side surfaces 34 and 36 that are symmetrical about axis 16 and are adapted for non-contacting fluid-sealing relation with surfaces 22 and 24, respectively, which relation is exaggerated in FIGURE 2 for clarity.

Formed in casing 12 are four uniformly spaced radially extending slots 37, 38, 39 and 40, each being formed with two flat opposing parallel side surfaces 42 and 43 (see FIGURE 3). Slidably mounted in respective slots are vanes 44, 46, 48 and 50, each formed with opposing side faces 51a and 51b for slidably engaging slot surfaces 42 and 43, thereby to reciprocably retain the vanes. Each vane is formed at the outer end 52 thereof with a smooth surface for bearing in fluid-sealing relation against peripheral surface 29 of inner lobed body 28; each vane has on the inner end thereof a hole 54 for receiving a compression spring 56 that serves to bias end surface 52 of each vane against the peripheral surface of the lobed body. Each of the vanes has opposing side surfaces 58 and 60 adapted for non-contacting fluid-sealing relation with inside surface 22 and 24 of chamber closure plates 18 and 20.

Referring to vane 48 of FIGURE 1, it is seen that a compartment 62 is formed on one side thereof, bounded by a vane face, arcuate surface 14, and peripheral surface 29; and that a compartment 64 is formed on the opposite side of vane 48, bounded by a vane face, the arcuate surface and the peripheral lobed body surface. Similar compartments are formed on opposite sides of the other vanes.

Because vanes 44, 46, 48 and 50 are substantially identical, the specific description of vane 44 to follow may be considered exemplary of the other vanes. Vane 44 is formed with a first fluid conduit 66, which conduit terminates in an orifice 68 in a side face of the vane, and is also formed with a second fluid conduit 70 terminating in an orifice 72 on the opposite vane face. Extending into conduit 66 is a tube 74 having an exterior surface in sliding fluid-sealing relation with conduit 66. Tube 74 is mounted in a threaded portion 76 of a passage 78 formed in casing 12. Extending into conduit 70 is tube 80 having an exterior surface for sliding fluid-sealing engagement with conduit 70. Tube 80 is mounted in a threaded portion 82 of a passage 84 in casing 12.

Passages 78 and 84 respectively communicate with first and second fluid ducts 86 and 88, which ducts are formed by providing casing 12 with an exterior cylindric surface 90, forming two spaced apart grooves in the exterior surface, and providing a band 92 circumscribing the casing for closing the grooves to form ducts 86 and 88. Band 92 is provided with a threaded opening 94 in communication with duct 88 for aflixing a fluid pipe 96 thereto; band 92 is also provided with a threaded opening 98 in communication with duct 86 and having aflixed thereto a fluid pipe 100. Fluid pipe 100 is attached to a conventional fluid pressure pump (not shown), and fluid pipe 96 is arranged in communication with a fluid reservoir (not shown) that supplies the fluid pressure pump to which fluid pipe 108 is attached. Thus, fluid under pressure is conveyed to each tube 74 through duct 86 and fluid is conveyed from tube 80 to pipe 96 through fluid duct 84.

In operation fluid under pressure is supplied through pipe 100 and emanates from orifice 68 in those vanes 44, 46, 48 and 50 which extend into chamber 15 from respective slots 37, 38, 39 and 40. Referring specifically to FIGURE 4, fluid under pressure is conveyed into compartment 64, and because the only movable side of the compartment is formed by peripheral surface 29 of lobed body 28, the lobe will rotate in a clockwise direct-ion as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 4. During such conditions, compartment 64 is in a power phase since the action in the compartment applies torque to lobed body 28. At the same time, as best shown in FIGURE 1, compartment 62' is in an exhaust phase in which residual fluid in the compartment from the previous power phase is exhausted through orifice 72 and conduit 70 in vane 46 to fluid duct 88. The exhaust phase continues as lobe 30a moves along arcuate surface 15 and terminates when lobe 30a arrives at a position near vane 46. While the foregoing transpires, vane 46 is maintained in contact with peripheral surface 29 due to the action of compression spring 56, which contact isolates compartments 62 and 64' from one another by reason of the bearing of vane end 52 on the peripheral surface.

Simultaneous with the above occurrences, fluid is being exhausted from compartment 64 which lies to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 1, of vane 48; compartment 62 is in a power phase at this time since fluid under pressure is being fed into the compartment through orifice 68 in vane 48. It will be obvious that the compartments on opposite sides of vane 50 will be in different phases during the afore-described period of time.

When a given lobe passes a vane, the compartments on opposite sides of that lobe will be in a neutral state. Such fact can be seen more clearly in FIGURE 3 in which orifices 68 and 72 are momentarily out of communication with the compartments on opposite sides of lobe 30a. Shortly after the neutral stage has been passed, orifice 72 of lobe 44 will be in a position clear of surface 43 of slot 37, and exhaust of the compartment will proceed. It is to be understood that, during the neutral stage at one vane position, torque is being provided from other compartments in the power phase.

Referring now to FIGURES and 6, casing 112 is shown that forms a chamber 114 with an arcuate internal surface 115 that is symmetrical in respect to a central 'axis 116. Chamber 114 is completed by closing arcuate surface 115 with closure plates 118 and 120 that are formed with smooth opposing interior surfaces 122'and 124, respectively. Surfaces 122 and 124 are contoured symmetrically relative central axis 116. Casing 112 is suitably journaled for rotation about a shaft 126, which shaft is coaxial with central axis 116. Conventional anti-friction bearings 127 are provided on closure plates 118 and 120 to afford free rotation of the casing relative 4 to the shaft. A lobed inner body 128 is disposed in chamber 114 and is formed with a smooth peripheral surface 129 which has three lobes 130a, 1301) and 138C uniformly spaced apart therearound. The lobed body is formed with a central bore 131 for press fit on shaft 126; bore 131 and shaft 126 are suitably excised to receive a key 132 for aflixing the lobed member to the shaft. Exterior of casing 112 a base 133 is provided for fixedly supporting shaft 126.

Lobed body 128 is formed with smooth side surface 134 and 135 that are symmetrical about axis 116 and are adapted for non-contacting fluid-sealing relation with surfaces 122 and 124 of chamber 114. The relation between the side lobe surfaces and the internal chamber surface is exaggerated in FIGURE 6 for clarity.

Formed in casing 112 are four uniformly spaced radially extending slots 137, 138, 139 and 140, each of which opens onto arcuate surface 115 and is provided with flat opposing parallel side surfaces 142 and 143. Slidably mounted in respective slots are vanes 144, 146, 148 and 150 each formed with opposing side faces 151a and 151b for slidably engaging slot surfaces 142 and 143, thereby to reciprocally retain the vanes in respective slots. Each vane has on the outer end 152 thereof a smooth surface for hearing in fluid-sealing relation against peripheral surface 129 of lobed body 128; the opposite end of each vane is formed with a hole 154 for receiving a compression spring 156 that biases the end of the vane 152 against the peripheral surface of the lobed body. Each of the vanes has opposing side surfaces 158 and 160 adapted for non-contacting fluid-sealing relation with opposing inside chamber surfaces 122 and 124 respectively.

It can thus be seen in FIGURE 5 that a compartment 162 is formed on one side of a vane bounded by a vane face, peripheral surface 129 and arcuate surface 115, and that on the opposite side of the vane a compartment 164 is similarly formed. Similarly, compartments on opposite sides of the other vanes are defined by a respective lobe face, arcuate surface 115, and peripheral body surface 129.

Lobed body 128 is formed in three fluid conduits 166a, 166b and 1660 each terminating in peripheral surface 129 at orifices 168a, 168b and 1680 respectively; each of the orifices is formed adjacent one of the lobes 130a 13% and 1300 on the same side of the respective lobe relative to the direction of rotation of casing 112. Simi larly, lobed body 128 is formed with three fluid conduits 170a, 1701; and 1700 that terminate in peripheral surface 129 on the opposite side of the lobes at orifices 172a, 1721) and 1720. Conduits 166a, 16Gb and 1660 terminate in an annular conduit 173 in the center of the body and conduits 170a, 17% and 1700 terminate in a similarly located annular conduit 174.

Annular conduits 173 and 174 are formed by providing spaced apart semi-circular depressions 176 and 178 around the interior surface of bore 131 of lobed body 128. The annular conduits are completed by providing semi-circular grooves 180 and 182 on the surface of shaft 126 disposed relative one another for registry with grooves 176 and 178, respectively. For communicating annular conduit 173 to the exterior of the motor, a pass age 184 is formed in shaft 126 longitudinal thereto, and a radially extending passage 186 communicates passage 184 to annular conduit 173. Annular conduit 174 communicates with the exterior of the motor through a passage 188 formed longitudinally in shaft 126 and through a generally radial passage 190. The exterior end of passage 184 is adapted to receive a fluid pipe 192; passage 188 on its exterior end is adapted to receive a fluid pipe 194. Fluid pipe 192 is attached to a conventional fluid pressure pump (not shown), and fluid pipe 194 is arranged in communication with a fluid reservoir (not shown) that supplies the fluid pressure pump to which fluid pipe 192 is attached. Thus fluid under pressure is conveyed to each conduit 166a, 1661) and 1660, and fluid is conveyed from each conduit 170a, 1701) and 1700 to fluid pipe 194.

In operation of this embodiment of my invention, fluid pressure supplied to fluid pipe 192 is delivered to orifices 168a, 1681) and 1d8c are peripheral surface 129 of lobed body 128. Referring to FIGURE 5, fluid emanating from orifice 1615b enters compartment 164 to exert pressure on face 15111 of vane 148, thereby to move casing 112 in a clockwise direction. Similarly, pressure is exterted by the emanation of pressurized fluid from orifice 168a against the face of vane 150. Residual fluid in chamber 162 is expelled from the chamber through orifice 172a to fluid pipe 194, since clockwise rotation of casing 112 moves vane 148 toward the left as viewed in FIGURE 5. Due to the action of compression springs 156, each of the vanes is maintained in fluid-sealing contact with peripheral surface 129. As the various orifices pass vane ends 152, neutral stage will momentarily exist during which no torque is exerted on the particular vane. The other compartments, however, supply torque during such neutral stage so as to assure torque on casing 112 during a full 360 of rotation thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 7, a modification of the motor of FIGURES 5 and 6 is shown in which a casing 112 having an internal arcuate surface 115 is formed with five slots 137', 13 8, 1 39, 140 and and 141. Mounted on a central shaft 126' is a lobed body 123' having four lobes 130a, 1301;, 1300 and 131111 uniformly spaced around the peripheral surface 129 of the lobed body. Each of the lobes is adapted on the outer surface thereof for non-contacting fluid sealing relation with arcuate surface 115. As in the embodiment of FIGURES 5 and 6, each slot 137-141 is provided with a vane 144- biased into contact with peripheral surface 129' by a compression spring 156' provided in each slot. In the manner of FIG. '6 end closure plates and bearing for shaft 126' are also provided.

Lo'bed body 128' is formed with four fluid conduits 166a, 166b', 1660 and 166d which communicate fluid under pressure from a central annular conduit 173 to which pressurized fluid is supplied through passages formed in shaft 126' similar to those of FIGURE 6. Each of the fluid conduits Mari-166d terminates on peripheral surface 129' adjacent one of the lobes and on the same side of each lobe relative to the direction or rotation of casing 112'. Also formed in lobed body 128 are exhaust fluid passages 170a, 17Gb, 170 c, and 170d which convey fluid from peripheral surface 129 to a central annular conduit 17 4'. The operation and detailed construction of this embodiment is substantially identical to the embodiment of FIGURE 5; however, more compartments are provided with the result that smoother operation is obtained. However, since each compartment is smaller than the compartments of FIG- URE 5, slightly less torque is realized for a motor of the same size. It should be understood that the embodiment depicted in FIGURES 1-4 can be provided with a lobed body 28 having four or more lobes and additional vanes in accordance with the teachings of FIGURE 7.

In each of the fluid motors described hereinabove, the diameter of the lobed body and the width thereof can altered to provide almost any dresired amound of torque. For example, provision of a lobed body having three lobes, an outer diameter of 13 feet, and a thickness of 5 feet, and being so shaped that the vanes travel 1 foot from their extended and to their retracted positions, aflords a motor producing approximately 2,000,- 000 ft.-lbs. torque.

While two embodiments of my invention have been shown and described it will be obvious that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

5 I claim:

1. A rotary fluid motor comprising a casing forming a chamber with a smooth arcuate internal surface contoured symmetrically with respect to an axis and opposing side surfaces formed symmetrically with respect to the same axis, a shaft journaled [for rotation relative said casing on the axis, a body in said chamber mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, said body having side surfaces in non-contacting fluid-sealing relation to the side surfaces of said casing and a peripheral surface extending between said body side surfaces, said peripheral surface forming at least two lobes spaced uniformly therearound, said lobes having outer peripheral surfaces in non-contacting fluid sealing relation to said internal arcuate surface, said casing being formed with a plurality of radially extending slots opening onto said internal arcuate surface, said slots being uniformly spaced around said arcuate surface and being greater in number by one than the number of lobes on said body, a vane having opposed faces for slidably supporting a vane in each said slot, each said vane having on an end thereof a surface for bearing in fluid-sealing relation upon the peripheral surface of said body, means for radially biasing each said vane into contact on the bearing surfaces thereof with said peripheral body surface, said body being formed with first fluid conduits terminating in said peripheral body surface, each conduit terminating adjacent a body lobe on the same side of the respective lobes relative to the direction of rotation of said casing relative said body, said body also being formed with second fluid conduits terminating in said peripheral body surface adjacent respective said lobes on the side opposite the first conduit terminations, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said first conduits.

2. A rotary motor according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conduits are respectively defined by said shaft having a circumferential concave groove there around, said body having a central bore sized for press fit on said shaft, said bore being formed with a circumferential {groove adapted to register with said shaft groove, thereby to form an annular passage, said shaft being formed with a passage in communication. with said annular passage, and said body being formed with plural holes extending from said annular passage to said peripheral body surface.

3. A rotary motor according to claim 2 in combination with a base for supporting said shaft externally of said chamber, said base engaging only one end of said shaft to afford unrestricted access to the external surface of said casing from the side thereof opposite said shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1902 Cooley 9171 10/1909 Harman 91105 X FOREIGN PATENTS 124,264 '5/1959 Russia.

MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A ROTARY FLUID MOTOR COMPRISING A CASING FORMING A CHAMBER WITH A SMOOTH ARCUATE INTERNAL SURFACE CONTOURED SYMMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO AN AXIS AND OPPOSING SIDE SURFACES FORMED SYMMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SAME AXIS, A SHAFT JOURNALED FOR ROTATION RELATIVE SAID CASING ON THE AXIS, A BODY IN SAID CHAMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, SAID BODY HAVING SIDE SURFACES IN NON-CONTACTING FLUID-SEALING RELATION TO THE SIDE SURFACES OF SAID CASING AND A PERIPHERAL SURFACES EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BODY SIDE SURFACES, SAID PERPHERAL SURFACE FORMING AT LEAST TWO LOBES SPACED UNIFORMLY THEREAROUND, SAID LOBES HAVING OUTER PHERIPHERAL SURFACES IN NON-CONTACTING FLUID SEALING RELATION TO SAID INTERNAL ARCUATE SURFACE, SAID CASING BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING SLOTS OPENING ONTO SAID INTERNAL ARCUATE SURFACE, SAID SLOTS BEING UNIFORMLY SPACED AROUND SAID ARCUATE SURFACE AND BEING GREATER IN NUMBER BY ONE THAN THE NUMBER OF LOBES ON SAID BODY, A VANE HAVING OPPOSED FACES FOR SLIDABLY SUPPORTING A VANE 